


Thicker Than Water

by tromana



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Angst, Drama, Family Drama, Family Secrets, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-13
Updated: 2012-10-20
Packaged: 2017-11-16 05:52:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/536195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tromana/pseuds/tromana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Cho's half-brother, Sam, is back on the scene, he has to work out his intentions. Is Sam telling the truth about wanting to leave the Playboys or does he have a darker ulterior motive?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You Never Know

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Agent ERA in the Paint It Red 2012 Great Stocking Exchange.

Kimball Cho stared up at his bare ceiling as sleep continued to elude him. Sometimes, it felt like a daily battle, trying to get some rest. And somehow, it always seemed like a battle he was destined to lose. During the day, he found it easy to count his blessings: he'd escaped his troubled youth, carved out a career for himself in the army and continued to make a name for himself as an agent in one of the premier law enforcement agencies. He liked his job, enjoyed the company of his work colleagues, had a few good, close friends and generally, he felt well-adjusted and settled.

But at night, that was when the problems began.

His past began to seep to the forefront of his mind. The people he'd maimed when running with the Avon Park Playboys hounded him, asked for explanations and apologies for the foolishness of his youth. The people he'd shot when he'd been a sniper in Iraq haunted him, begged for mercy and failing that, wished the worst upon him. Even the individuals he'd wrongly arrested or accidentally injured in the line of duty wouldn't leave him in peace. The ghosts of his past continually called out for his blood and there was little he could do to silence them.

It was surprising, just how troubled somebody could appear in the dead of the night.

Tonight, he had one specific individual troubling him, however: his half-brother, Kyung-Sam.

Sam had always looked up to Cho, even though he hadn't cared much for it at the time. It had disappointed him when Sam had chosen to join the Playboys just as Cho was making plans for his escape. Equally, he knew that his younger brother's admiration turned into disgust when Cho had opted to join the CBI, especially when Sam discovered that he would be working underneath a woman. Cho implicitly respected Lisbon; she was a good cop, an excellent leader and a wonderful friend to him. However, Sam simply could not see it that way. So, since then, they had actively avoided one another, to the extent that they pretended that their sibling did not exist. As far as Cho was concerned, it was far easier that way.

That had promptly changed precisely six days and five hours ago. Since then, Sam had been messaging him on a regular basis, desperate to make contact with his elder brother. Old resentments died hard and Cho continued to ignore him. Besides, he had his own issues to be dealing with, not least, a major case at work. He had to prioritize and when it came to his estranged brother, work was always going to be far more important. At least it seemed like the case was getting somewhere now; they'd made a few major breakthroughs and for the most part, Patrick Jane was behaving himself. However, the more messages he received from Sam, the more time Cho spent thinking about him, much to his irritation.

When his cell phone rang out for the seventh time that night, Cho closed his eyes and tried to distract himself. Automatically, he started counting in order to fixate his consciousness on something other than the issues swirling around in his mind. He steadied his breathing as he recited the numbers inside his head and silently hoped that sleep wouldn't remain quite so elusive as it had done so for three hours thus far. It didn't work though; another text message arrived promptly after and his eyes sprang back wide open.

With a sigh, he leaned over to see why Sam was so desperate to speak to him. It didn't surprise him in the slightest when he saw that all eight messages were from his useless excuse of a younger brother, however, he had vaguely wished that wasn't the case. A message from Lisbon saying he was needed out in the field would have provided him with the ideal excuse to stop worrying about Sam and start focusing on something more important. Cho sighed heavily; in the end, he decided it was about time to humor his brother and see what he wanted. He didn't bother to read them all; instead, he just opened up the last one and was stunned by the words he saw glaring back at him.

_You were right. I want to get out; I need your help._ xxx

Two hours later, instead of being curled up in bed, Cho found himself standing outside of an abandoned warehouse. The chilly breeze cut through his jacket and he shivered. Still, at least he was out and doing something instead of being plagued by ancient history in bed. It may not have been for quite the reason he expected, either, but it was better than nothing. Automatically, he moved his hand to his hip and was comforted by the touch of his faithful gun.

As he had driven to the location that Sam had given him, Cho's imagination had gone into overdrive. What if Sam was lying and he didn't actually need help? What if it was a trap? What if he was luring him out here to kidnap or worse, to kill? Being an ex-Playboy, Cho knew that the members of the gang delighted in murder, especially if it was of a cop. They were disgusted by the fact Cho had become a cop and it must have been humiliating for Sam. What better poetic license would it have been for them than to have him die at his brother's hands?

But then, there was also hope. Hope that his brother had finally seen sense. Hope that he realized that the gang lifestyle was a dangerous way of life. Hope that he had seen just how much damage he was doing to other people. And hope that Kyung-Sam was finally deciding to take responsibility and actually grow up. Despite the fact there was merely an eight year age difference between them, sometimes it felt like far more.

In the shadows, in the corner of Cho's eyes, he spotted a movement. Natural instinct and his reflexes automatically made him draw the gun and approach with caution. Half of him was beginning to expect an ambush from all sides; Sam was late and he hadn't even heard any vehicles approaching. At four a.m., it was still deathly quiet and there was nobody that could disturb them. That was why Sam had chosen this location to meet up, or so he'd claimed. All Cho could see right now was all the hidden corners which could hide untold dangers.

"Come out with your hands above your head," he instructed firmly.

"It's just me."

He watched as Sam approached tentatively, his hands held high in the air, just as Cho had instructed him to do so. Cho swallowed down a smirk; it was the first time in decades that his brother had actually listened to a direct instruction from him. Swiftly, he closed the distance between himself and Sam, put his brother in an arm lock and relinquished him of his firearm. Briefly, he looked it over; a Glock 9mm, probably stolen. It was only when he had both his own service weapon and Sam's gun safely in his possession that he let his brother go.

"What the hell was that for?" Sam snarled angrily.

"I want to know what your attentions are," Cho answered in a gruff tone. "Now, speak."


	2. Wander From The Path

"I want to leave the Playboys."

"You already said that."

"Kim, I'm your brother, your own flesh and blood. You don't believe me?"

"Not especially, no," he admitted.

Sam sighed and ran a hand through his long black hair. Cho continued to watch his every move, still skeptical about Sam's intentions. It had surprised him that his brother had expected him to take his words in good faith. Throughout the entirety of their lives, all they had ever done is keep secrets and tell lies to one another. What specifically made this situation any different?

"You want proof?"

Cho remained silent and completely still. In all honesty, he did want some kind of evidence, some proof that his brother wasn't about to stab him in the back at any given moment, literally or figuratively. However, he didn't want to say outright. And going be the faltering smile on Sam's face, he didn't need to either. Sam let out a short sharp bark of a laugh and then shook his head sadly. Cho frowned slightly; as far as he was concerned, Sam had absolutely no right to be judging him and yet, that was precisely what he appeared to be doing.

"You know, you haven't changed at all, Kim," Sam stated, disappointed. "You're just as bad as you were back then. You still want proof in order to earn your truth. You still want something solid to show that your faith is deserved. You're still the Iceman."

"Don't call me that," Cho answered back warningly.

"What? Iceman? But that's still what you're known as within my circles, Kim. You're still infamous for the deeds you carried out twenty years ago. They say that once you join the Playboys, you never leave. Not really."

"I left. And I'm ashamed of what I was back then."

"Are you ashamed of me for following in your footsteps too?" Sam asked and stared him directly in the eye. "You are, aren't you?"

"Why do you want to leave?" Cho repeated.

"Not here," Sam hissed suddenly and grabbed Cho's arm. "It's too dangerous."

Instinctively, Cho rolled his eyes and led Sam to his SUV. In silence, he drove his brother to a nearby motel. Throughout the ten minute journey, Sam kept attempting to engage him in conversation but at each and every step, Cho managed to brush him aside. This whole situation still troubled him and he was becoming increasingly aware of the time. He hoped this didn't take too long; he still had work in the morning and was determined not to let his family issues bleed through at work. If there was one thing he was proud of now, it was his career.

Sam was obviously disappointed when he realized he was being dumped off in a motel. Cho, however, was still more than aware that he couldn't trust his younger brother. He wasn't prepared to reveal to him where he lived. After all, he'd already had to move house several times in the past because the Playboys had discovered his home address and threatened his nearest and dearest. Though Sam was claiming to require his assistance in escaping the clutches of the gang, he wasn't going to take his word for it until he knew for certain that he wasn't about to betray him.

"So," Cho started when he was safely installed in the cheapest room available. "What proof do you have?"

Sam rolled up his shirt to show Cho what was underneath. Cho raised an eyebrow at the large tattoo across his brother's chest, but he knew that wasn't particularly of interest. Many gang members had tattoos; he'd long since had his removed as he no longer considered them to be a part of his identity. The pain and money he'd spent had been worth it to reclaim his body and soul. What was, however, was the fresh wound across Sam's stomach. It had been treated, but from the poor handiwork, Cho could tell that it hadn't been dealt with by a trained medic. Then, Sam showed him a clotted mark on his shoulder - a bullet wound if he wasn't mistaken.

"They want me to kill you. For absconding, for becoming a _cop_ ," Sam said with a tremulous tone in his voice. "If I don't, they're going to kill me instead. These wounds are just a warning of what's to come."

"Did you take the bullet out of..." Cho started.

"What do you think I am? An idiot?" Sam answered back sarcastically. "Of course I took the bullet out."

"Don't you think you need proper medical treatment?"

"Who'd treat a gangbanger like me? As far as everyone else is concerned, I'm scum of the earth."

Cho sat down on the bed beside his brother. Quietly, he'd hoped for some names and locations of major players in the gang. Maybe something that could have helped to close some of the CBI's cold cases. However, the fact that Sam had told him outright what he'd suspected added weight to his story. His eyes held a great sadness in them too and he genuinely did seem desperate. He did want to help him, but he still wasn't entirely sure.

"And what do you intend to do if you manage to leave?"

"I'm a dead man walking if I don't," Sam answered quietly. "I don't want to kill you, Kim. Despite our differences, you're still my brother. I thought I might enlist for the army, like you did. Give something back and a chance to escape _them_ by getting out of the country."

Cho nodded and bid him farewell, promising to return in the evening. Kyung-Sam had said they were very different people, but Cho couldn't help but wonder if, deep down, they were more similar than it appeared at face value. After all, Sam seemed to be eager to take the same journey that he had now and for not too dissimilar reason.

That was, if he wasn't trying to double-bluff him, of course. There was still a possibility that that was the case.

xxx

In the end, he was late getting into work. Van Pelt raised a curious eyebrow but didn't say a work. Rigsby kindly provided him with coffee while Jane immediately disappeared in the general direction of Lisbon's office. Everyone had been quietly at work and Cho wondered if they'd made any breaks in the case. Quietly, he assumed not, because otherwise there would have been a hive of activity and more missed calls on his cell phone. Instead, he took a seat behind his computer and caught up on his e-mails while he awaited further instruction.

He wasn't left waiting long. Lisbon strode into the bullpen, in full authoritarian mode. There was a reason she was the boss, and moments like this only served to remind him why. She stopped directly in front of his desk and turned to face Rigsby and Van Pelt, who already had her full attention.

"We have two leads in the case. Van Pelt, I want you and Jane to go and talk to the wife again. Jane thinks she's hiding something and I agree. Rigsby, you stay here and man the desks. Cho," she said and she turned to face him. "We're going to talk to the victim's boss. It's nice that you _finally_ chose to join us, by the way."

Cho felt like he should have known that his late appearance wouldn't have gone unnoticed. Simultaneously, he wished that the ground would swallow him up and he wanted to apologize profusely for his tardiness. Instead, he schooled his stoic expression, muttered a 'sorry' and followed her towards the van. Lisbon didn't bother to say a word back to him until she had placed the key in the ignition and they had started to drive away from the CBI headquarters.

"What happened, Cho?" she said softly and instinctively, Cho realized this was the reason she had opted to work with him today. "It's very unlike you to turn up late."

"Family issues," he muttered in response.

"Okay," she said and he knew she wouldn't pursue it unless he wanted her to do so. "It should go without saying, but if you need any help…"

She trailed off and let her words die in the air. Cho felt them rest heavily upon his shoulders. He knew that Lisbon would always have his back and he hoped that she realized the situation was entirely mutual. In the end, it didn't take him long to come to a decision. Unlike Kyung-Sam, Cho knew that he could trust Lisbon wholeheartedly. He also knew that she would do everything within her power to help. She was simply that kind of a person – and that good of a friend.

"I need your help," he admitted quickly.


	3. Secrets We're Keeping

"So let me get this straight: your younger brother wants to leave a gang otherwise he'll either have to kill you or get killed himself?" Lisbon summarized quickly and concisely, only glancing at Cho briefly before returning her attentions to the road in front of them.

"Yes," Cho answered back, his voice marginally weaker than usual.

"And you think I can help how?"

Cho remained silent. He had been as honest with Lisbon as feasibly possible and yet he still felt uncomfortable about it all. Part of him felt like he should have been able to deal with it on his own, especially if it transpired that Sam had been lying in order to get close to him. If anyone else got hurt - or worse - because of this decision, he knew that he would never forgive himself. It would be another nightmare to add to his ever increasing list. And yet, he knew that Lisbon was already aware of his troublesome younger brother. It was on his record and she was his superior. Knowing things like this was practically a part of her job description. In a way, it was probably better that he had informed her of this situation instead of causing her unnecessary concern. She had more than enough to worry about as it was. Besides, having two people focusing on the task in hand generally meant that it would be sorted quicker. Between them, they had more resources than he did on his own.

"You're not even sure if he's telling the truth, are you?" she continued when Cho didn't answer.

"Would you be?"

"No," she admitted.

Cho knew she understood; her tragic childhood had colored the person she was today just as much as his upbringing had altered him. She knew what it was like to be betrayed by devious members of the family or to be perpetually disappointed by them. It was a relief that she had been in a similar situation to his in the past. At least he knew that she had experience to base any advice on. And even if she hadn't, Lisbon was the type to try and find a solution to any problem he might have come to her with.

Even though they both had reservations about his brother's honesty (or lack thereof), Cho knew that he couldn't just ignore Kyung-Sam's pleas for help. There was always the possibility that his cynicism when it came to his brother was automatically making him see the worst in him. If he was telling the truth, then he genuinely was in grave danger. Cho knew what the Playboys were like; once they got even the slightest of hints that you were thinking of leaving, they dealt with the 'situation' as they phrased it. The sooner Sam was out of state at the very least, then the safer he would be.

"What does he want to do?"

"Join the army," Cho answered bluntly.

"Following in your footsteps, huh?" Lisbon remarked lightly.

Cho threw her a look which said everything he could have said, but didn't want to. Deep down, he really wished that Sam hadn't chosen to take the same paths as he had. There was a time when he'd had a bright future ahead of him: he'd even been considering studying medicine or law at college. And had he put his mind to it, Cho believed that Sam could really have made it in whatever career he'd chosen. Sam had definitely taken after their father; he had always wanted the best for both of his sons. Instead, Sam had chosen to squander his opportunities because he'd been lured into the dangerous - and attractive, admittedly - life his elder brother had been leading.

And naturally, Cho blamed himself for that. He was the one who had defied his parents when they had smashed his dreams of making it big in baseball. They didn't even allow him the chance to try and break into the sport somehow before being brought back down to reality. He was the one who had first glorified gang culture in front of young Sam. It was only natural that he had imprinted on it at such a young age and as a consequence, fallen from grace in his teenage years.

And unlike Cho, it had taken him much longer to realize how wrong those decisions had been.

"Okay, I'll help you. I want to meet him first, see if I think he's telling the truth."

"You think Jane will help?" he asked, but he knew it was a foolish question before he'd even finished it.

Lisbon let out a hollow laugh. "Do you really think it's a good idea to introduce Patrick Jane to your younger brother?"

"No."

"If I agree with you and think your brother needs help, then I'll organize a meeting with someone in the army. I have contacts..."

"You do?" he said, surprised. Part of him wanted to ask how she had contacts there, but he also knew it wasn't his place to ask. Lisbon was fiercely private for a reason.

"You don't?" she countered.

Cho shook his head. Of course he used to, but everybody he'd served with had either left or been killed in the line of duty. As far as he was concerned, that was simply the nature of the job. His army career had been a flash in the pan, but he was still infinitely grateful for the fact that it had managed to straighten him out once more.

It was just like he was grateful for the fact that Lisbon was so willing to help him out in this situation.

"Thank you," he muttered.

"Don't thank me until it's over," Lisbon stated firmly. "Besides, it's the least I can do."

Cho nodded and they pulled up in front of a grocery store - the place where the victim in their current case had been employed. For now, he put all thoughts about Sam out of his mind. They had a job to do. He'd already let Lisbon down once at work today and he wasn't about to do it again.

xxx

Lisbon took the lead in the interview, something which Cho was more than happy to let her do. His mind was still all over the place, even if he looked exactly the same as he usually did on the outside. The expression he wore was a mask to cover all manner of sins and naturally, it had its uses. Of course, thanks to their discussion in the journey over, Lisbon knew why Cho was so quiet. She didn't push for him to get involved and instead let him observe. He didn't think this lead was going anywhere; the boss, a stuffy man in a suit, had a cast iron alibi and no motive either. He'd also been able to extend the alibi to cover several other workers.

Except for one, that was.

The man had hired a new worker; a Korean-American aged around 30, just last month. Allegedly, he'd had a troubled past but he'd wanted to give the boy a shot, a chance to get his life back together. Generally, he had proven to be a decent worker and was fairly reliable. The man had been pleased with his new subordinate's progress. However, he'd taken an instant dislike to the victim and there had been friction. This new co-worker had called in sick on the day the murder was carried out, which immediately seemed suspicious. Of course, it didn't necessarily mean the man was responsible, but it did provide them with a potential motive.

"What was his name?" Cho said, breaking his silence for the first time.

"Sam Lee. I can give you his home address, if you like?"

"That would be appreciated, thanks," Lisbon replied with a small smile.

As he disappeared into the back room to get the information they had asked for, Cho turned to face Lisbon. She had a quizzical expression on her face, and he didn't bother to wait for her to ask him a question. He had a shrinking suspicion that he knew who their victim was and he didn't like it either. This seemed far too coincidental and he genuinely hoped he was wrong.

"I think it's my brother. Using his mom's surname as a pseudonym."


	4. The Key To Fit The Lock

Cho drummed his fingers against the steering wheel of the SUV as he stared at the hotel door. As far as he knew, Sam was still inside. Lisbon had left him alone to speak to him, not out of choice, but because she had to smooth down some ruffled feathers caused by Jane with the family of the deceased. He didn't envy her for that - sometimes Jane caused more problems than he was worth. However, Cho knew he had more than enough to worry about when it came to dealing with Kyung-Sam.

Though he wouldn't have admitted to it, he had sincerely hoped that his brother had been telling the truth. He genuinely wanted his brother to turn his life around and get himself on the right track. Not just because it was what he had done, but because however much he hated what Sam had become, he was still his only brother. Whatever he did, deep down, Cho still loved him because he was family. Instead, it looked like there was an even more complicated web of lies to sort through. All he could do was hope that somehow, he would be able to discover what the actual truth was without too much difficulty. But then, that didn't seem particularly likely; Cho knew what gang culture was like. The gang members acted first, and then covered it up. They saw themselves as a family and they always stuck up for one of their kind. Unless, of course, that the individual had betrayed them, much like Cho had done.

He didn't doubt that his 'betrayal' had caused his brother all manner of problems. But then, Cho felt exactly the same way about Sam. For years, Cho had felt an inordinate amount of guilt when it came to Sam, even when he was trying to pretend that he didn't exist. It had been difficult trying to prove to the army, and to members of law enforcement, that he was reformed, even though his brother wasn't. Cho knew that he was lucky that a certain few individuals had been willing to place their faith in him; otherwise he wouldn't have been where he was today.

Eventually, Cho knew he couldn't put it off for much longer. Lisbon would want an update on the situation relatively soon and failing that, an arrest. Sam was officially a person of interest in their current case and that meant they had to talk to him as soon as possible. With a heavy sigh, Cho climbed out of the car and headed into the hotel. He didn't stop by at the reception and instead, chose to walk directly to Sam's room. After all, it was his money paying for it.

He knocked smartly on the door three times. When Sam didn't answer immediately, nor did he bother to answer to his calls, Cho steeled himself, ready to kick the door down. Cho tried calling for him one more time. Still he didn't answer and a second later, there was a satisfying crash as his foot came into contact with wood.

The room was empty when Cho entered with his gun drawn and automatically, he scanned the place for any signs of his brother. He turned on his heels as Sam exited the bathroom with his hands above his head. Sam was wearing just a towel and had his toothbrush hanging out of his mouth. When Cho reluctantly holstered his gun, Sam lowered his hands and removed the toothbrush from his mouth.

"Must it always come down to weapons, Kim?" Sam said dryly.

The comment angered Cho. It didn't help that he still had adrenalin coursing through his system. Almost immediately, he lunged at Sam and pinned him against one of the walls, using his arm as a threat - or warning - that he could choke him out in an instant if he chose to do so.

"Where were you Friday between the hours of seven and nine a.m.?"

"At home, alone," Sam answered back and Cho tightened his grip.

"The truth, Sam," he demanded.

"Out, with friends. I don't remember what we were doing. I was drunk."

"Have you heard of Alex Drummond?"

Sam glanced away before he answered the question. Cho had been working with Patrick Jane for more than long enough to know that meant anything he said afterwards was likely to be suspicious. He was entirely unsurprised when Sam denied all knowledge of the man and as a consequence, instead of letting him go, Cho tightened his grip once again on his younger brother. It was only when Sam let out a grunt of pain that Cho loosened it slightly.

All the while, all he could think about was how Sam had betrayed his trust. Of course, he'd had his suspicions all along that Sam was up to no good, and just using him for some reason. However, Cho had never expected to feel quite so infinitely disappointed in him. They had parted company for the last time nearly seven years ago and Cho had assumed that he had buried the majority of his emotions when it came to Sam, including both the disappointment and love he had for him. But then, this had reopened it all like a gaping wound and still, Sam insisted upon lying to him. He could see he was trying to slither out of this situation unnoticed, like a snake or an eel. But if Sam was responsible for the death of Alex Drummond, regardless of the fact he was family, he was going to be punished. Cho was a man of the law now and he was determined to follow it through to the letter.

He asked if Sam had a job at the grocery store. Again, with a moment's hesitation, Sam answered with a negative. Cho knew that his brother had become a pathological liar, but he'd hoped that he would have realized the seriousness of these allegations. This wasn't something that he could mess around with. If he was responsible, then it was better for the both of them that he just admitted freely to it.

"Did it even cross your mind that somebody might be framing me?"

"No."

"Did you get a description of the man working there, or see surveillance footage or anything?"

Cho nodded. The boss had shown them some grainy images shortly before they'd left. Those images did show a man who did have a passing similarity to his brother, but it didn't necessarily mean it was him. He hoped that Lisbon had gotten Van Pelt to cross-reference the pictures on her computer to confirm their suspicions. However, Cho hadn't heard either way from them yet.

"You are coming down town with me. Answer a few questions, meet my boss."

"Are you _arresting_ me, Kim?"

"No."

"Good," Sam said and he sounded relieved.

"Not _yet_ ," Cho clarified, keen to make it clear it was still a possibility.

"Uh, can I get changed first?"

Cho nodded. "Five minutes. That's all I'm giving you."

xxx

Cho was surprised when Sam came along to the CBI headquarters more than willingly. He was currently waiting to be questioned in one of their interrogation rooms and had been supplied with a can of cola and a packet of chips to keep him quiet in the meantime. For now, Lisbon wanted to talk to him in her office, before they went to talk to him together. She was somewhat concerned about Cho's state of mind, and he couldn't blame her for that. Had their roles been reversed, he'd have felt exactly the same way. Logically, he could see that the whole situation was a sorry mess. But then, when it came to family, logic was often completely ignored.

He stood in front of her desk; he felt too on edge to sit down and Lisbon didn't seem to mind either way. Instead, she immediately chose to update him on the case. The lead that Van Pelt and Jane had chased up hadn't gone anywhere, except for a potential lawsuit courtesy of Jane. Lisbon said that she suspected that she had managed to prevent it from happening, and Cho knew he could have faith in her for that. Though she clearly hated that aspect of the job, it didn't stop her from being good at it.

"And what about Sam? You said you believed he was lying, that he was our suspect?"

"Yes. Did you get anywhere with the surveillance footage."

"Van Pelt is just running it through the system now," Lisbon answered before changing the subject suddenly. "Cho, where's your gun?"

"It's right here…" he started, but paused to feel an empty holster.

He cursed when he realized that it had been taken from him. Or, more precisely, Sam had somehow managed to take it away from him. And he was running loose in the CBI headquarters. When he saw a figure approaching Lisbon's office door from behind the blinds, he turned to face the door. It was Sam, and he definitely had a gun in hand. Sam kicked the door open, glared briefly at Lisbon, before returning his attention to Cho.

"Sam… don't do anything stupid," Cho said quietly, silently praying that Kyung-Sam would take his advice.

"This is for KS."

"Cho, get down!" Lisbon ordered and reflexively, he obeyed instantaneously.

Three gunshots rattled in the air, but from his position on the floor, Cho had absolutely no idea who – if anyone – was shot, or worse.


	5. Work It Out

It took a full thirty seconds for Cho to dare to move from his spot on the ground. In that time, the rest of the team came rushing towards Lisbon's office, with Grace Van Pelt leading the pack. When he stood, he was relieved to see a shaking Lisbon holstering her service weapon. Then, he turned to see his brother lying on the floor, dead. A surge of emotions flew through him; heartache, sorrow, relief and frustration. He couldn't be angry with Lisbon for reacting in the way that she did - she had saved his life - but he was angry at the situation at large.

He should have been able to save Kyung-Sam, from himself as much as anyone else. He should never have led him down such a dangerous path in the first place. And he shouldn't have trusted him; Cho had known that there was a possibility that Sam had been acting for the gang from the offset. It seemed almost inevitable that Sam would try and steal his gun. And killing him on CBI soil probably held some kind of poetic license for the Avon Park Playboys.

"You okay?" Lisbon asked and he nodded; he felt hollow inside than anything else. "I'm sorry."

"I know. You did what you had to do."

It took him a second longer to notice the pool of blood blossoming through her crisp white shirt. Cho frowned; when he'd seen that Lisbon was still standing, he'd believed that she was the one to fire all three shots. Closer analysis of Sam's body proved that she fired twice and the second had been the kill shot. But right now, that wasn't a priority. Lisbon had been wounded and as far as he was concerned, it was his fault.

"You're bleeding," he stated lightly and Lisbon glanced on her shoulder and then winced.

"It only grazed me. I'll be fine."

"Still needs treating."

Her shoulders sagged slightly in defeat. Clearly, she no longer had the energy to fight back and that was probably a good thing. Lisbon was known for being particularly stubborn, especially when she needed assistance. Cho knew that, on occasion, he could be a bit of control freak, but unlike her, he knew when to let go. He'd steeled himself for an argument, but was glad that she had seen sense without any difficulty. Besides, Cho was glad for the distraction. He couldn't bear standing beside his brother's dead body for much longer. Lisbon quickly instructed Rigsby and Van Pelt to take over and she willingly followed him through to the bullpen.

Jane - who was never particularly fond of the sight of blood, especially if it was a gunshot wound - offered the use of his couch. He handed Cho a first aid kit and muttered something about making them both a cup of coffee. Cho suspected that he wouldn't see the man back with their drinks for a good hour, but that didn't worry him. After all, he had far more important things troubling him at that moment in time. He was well aware that he was putting off the inevitable when it came to facing his brother's untimely demise, but even so, he knew taking care of Lisbon was also important.

"Can you..." Cho started but didn't finish the sentence. It felt wrong asking the boss to get into a state of undress in front of him, regardless of the necessity for it.

In the end, she merely undid a few buttons and slipped the appropriate sleeve down her arm. It was an ideal compromise; it maintained her dignity while giving him enough room to maneuver. He was relieved when he saw she was right; the bullet hadn't pierced her skin and had only grazed her shoulder. She was lucky; they both were. Unlike Kyung-Sam, but that was another matter entirely. Cho shook his head ever so slightly as he opened up the first aid kit and selected some antiseptic wipes. The wound had already started to clot, but that didn't mean it didn't need disinfecting first.

"This is going to sting," he said warningly and she nodded in response.

"Just get it over and done with, please," she muttered.

"Okay."

Carefully, he swept the wipe over the wound and ignored the winces of pain and look of consternation on her face. Even the curse word which accidentally slipped through her lips when he applied a little too much pressure on a couple of occasions didn't faze him. He worked as swiftly as he could and soon dropped the offending antiseptic wipe, now stained pink, to the floor beside him. Cho dressed the wound as gently as he could and it wasn't long until Lisbon was fully clothed. He was still concerned, though. It was the same shoulder that had been shot by Craig O'Laughlin and automatically, he couldn't help but worry that could have some kind of effect on her. However, he watched as Lisbon tested the motion in the arm, tentatively at first, and he was relieved to see she still had full mobility. But that didn't change the issue that she had been shot at on home territory. There was still a chance the wound could reopen and then the mental connotations associated with being in a shooting.

"If the wound reopens, see a doctor," he instructed firmly, not giving her any opportunity to disagree.

"I'll be fine," she answered a little too quickly for his liking.

"Boss…"

"But what about you? Will you be okay?" she asked cautiously and he nodded, hoping that she would believe him. "If anything does happen, I'll seek medical attention. I promise."

"Good."

"But only if you talk to someone about this."

"You have to as well."

"I know, but you were involved in this shooting too. And it was your brother, no less."

He agreed to the terms and conditions. Besides, it was company protocol that agents involved in a shoot-out had to go through a psych evaluation. Cho knew there was no way he was getting out of this one. He also half-suspected that Lisbon would advise that the others saw the CBI's resident psychiatrist too, just to be certain that they were all as mentally sound as could be expected too. And privately, he knew that that was the same decision he'd make as well if he were the one in charge.

But for now, he was going to chase up Jane and those coffees. Anything to give himself another distraction to avoid facing the loss he'd just endured.

xxx

_Three weeks later_

There was blazing sunshine on the day of Kyung-Sam's funeral. It was only natural that the Californian weather be so contradictory on a day such as this. However, it didn't bother Cho all that much. In reality, he had already mourned for his brother; being estranged had helped him work through his emotions quickly and easily. Admittedly, the emergency meeting with the psychiatrist and subsequent evaluation with her had helped speed through the matter too.

But still, he had felt compelled to come. Whatever he'd said, whatever he'd done, Sam was still his brother and Cho felt the need to honor him in death.

The funeral was poorly attended, but Cho expected that. Who was going to come and mark the passing of somebody deeply embroiled in gangs? The gang itself had probably already held their own memorial service to honor Kyung-Sam. Lisbon, being the one to pull the trigger, had asked him if she could come and Cho had agreed to it. He didn't see her as being responsible for Sam's death; his brother had made every decision that lead up to it and given her absolutely no choice. It was self-defense and as his boss, she had to protect Cho as well. He'd have behaved in exactly the same situation had their roles been reversed. Of course, he knew she was still struggling with the burden of being the one to end Sam's life, but that was just evident of the person she was.

He nodded briefly at Sam's mom and his dad as he exited the graveyard after the burial. Cho had no intentions of going to the wake; he couldn't celebrate what had ultimately been a waste of a life. Instead, he joined Lisbon who was waiting in the SUV for him. Neither of them had work to head to, she'd insisted that they both have the day off, but that didn't mean they didn't want to share each other's company. Situations like this were better shared than endured alone.

And at least, now, he had the closure he needed. Kyung-Sam would inevitably still haunt his nightmares, but beyond that he was okay. He was good at his job and had a strong network of friends around him. Cho knew that he was going to be fine.


End file.
